FASTING AND PHILANTHROPY OR CHARITY ARE INSEPARABLE

My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ Our Only True Lord, God, and Savior,

CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.

FASTING AND PHILANTHROPY OR CHARITY ARE
INSEPARABLE.

PHILANTHROPIA OR PHILANTHROPY. From the Greek word φιλείν, to love; and ανθρωπος, man. In our Holy Orthodox Church the term ‘PHILANTHROPIA’ bears a doctrinal connotation as well as moral implications. In the New Testament, ‘philanthropia’ was used by the Holy Apostle Paul (Titus 4:4) to describe God’s love (“philanthropia”) was used by the Incarnation of His Only-begotten Son. In an effort to convey through it the meaning of AGAPE (LOVE), the early Holy Father of the Church adopted it to convey their Christian teaching as well. In Christianity God came to be described as ‘Philanthropos’ or monos Philanthropos (the only man-loving God). In the Divine Liturgy and in many other sacred services and hymns, God the Father and God the Son is frequently called ‘PHILANTHROPOS THEOS (MAN-LOVING GOD) or ‘PHILANTHROPOS KYRIOS’ (A MAN-LOVING GOD, or A MAN-LOVING LORD).

The doctrine of ‘Philanthropos God’ is frequently used in ethical admonitions; as God loves man, SO MAN MUST LOVE HIS FELLOW MAN. The moral connotation of ‘PHILANTHROPIA” HAS BEEN CONCRETELY TRANSLATED IN THE CHURCH’S OVERALL CONCERN FOR CHARITY EXPRESSED BY WAY OF PHILANTHROPIC INSTITUTIONS SUCH AS ORPHANAGES, HOMES FOR THE AGED, AND OTHER SOCIAL WELFARE INSTITUTIONS.

Our Lord God Jesus Christ emphasized the great importance of PRAYER AND FASTING, He also emphasized very strongly the importance of PHILANTHROPY (CHARITY). Jesus says to His disciples, “If you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. However, this kind (demon) DOES NOT GO OUT EXCEPT BY PRAYER AND FASTING” [Matthew 17:20-21).  And when it comes to philanthropy He very succinctly  points out in Matthew 25:31-46 that our salvation depends on it.  He says, “Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you DID NOT DO IT TO ME.’  And these will go away into EVERLASTING PUNISHMENT, BUT THE RIGHTEOUS (THOSE WHO SHOWED PHILANTHROPY) INTO ETERNAL LIFE” [Matthew 25:45-46].

Very soon Orthodox Christians will enter Holy and Great Lent, a time of repentance, prayer and fasting. By means of our Lenten abstinence, we seek with God help to exercise (askesis) self-discipline and sinful passions. Our self-denial is the path that leads to our self-affirmation;it it is our means of entry into the cosmic liturgy whereby all things visible and invisible ascribe glory to our Creator. By observing properly this 40 day Lenten period and by the grace of God the Orthodox believer should benefit spiritually and be ready to celebrate the Holy Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Holy and Great Lent is a time of renewal and a time to realize afresh that, by virtue of our baptismal initiation, we are crucified, buried and risen with Christ. It is a time to reapply to ourselves the words of the Holy Apostle Paul, “I live, yet not I, by Christ lives in me” [Galatians 2:20]. It is also a time for us to listen more attentively to the voice of God the Holy Spirit in Whom we were sealed at our Chrismation, immediately after our burial” in the baptismal waters.

There is much that an Orthodox Christian may benefit during this holy season and more specifically strengthen his/her union and communion with our All-Holy God and Creator. The Christian who is sincere and committed strives to free himself or herself from all filth, sinful thoughts and behavior, to be cleansed and re-establish a strong relationship with the Savior Christ. When one lives a disobedient and sinful life he or she loses contact with God and the communication with Him is broken. Holy Lent gives the believer the opportunity to repair this broken system if have the necessary faith, commitment, repentance, humility, and knowledge. Essentially, nothing is beyond repair if one understands his/her spiritual condition and earnestly addresses the problem with genuine faith. “Jesus said to him, ‘If you can believe, ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE TO HIM WHO BELIEVES” [Mark 9:23]. “All things are possible” because of God’s power released through faith.

The Orthodox Christian who is committed to fast strictly may be applauded for his or her efforts, however, Jesus cautions everyone, “Hear and understand: Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; BUT WHAT COMES OUT OF THE MOUTH, THIS DEFILES A MAN” [Matthew 15:10-11]. This signifies that a person’s actions and words, which originate from their heart, truly matter, not just the things they consume or take in. Words we speak can be powerful tools for good or evil and therefore should be carefully considered. This is extremely important to know and understand if our fasting is to be of any benefit to us. True fasting is to put away all evil, to control the tongue, to forbear from anger, to abstain from lust, slander, falsehood, and perjury.

The Orthodox Christian needs to use utmost care so as to preserve A PROPER BALANCE BETWEEN THE OUTWARD and the INWARD FAST. On the outward level fasting involves physical abstinence from food and drink, and without such exterior abstinence a full and true fast cannot be kept; yet the rules about eating and drinking MUST NEVER BE TREATED AS AN END IN THEMSELVES, for ascetic fasting has always AN INWARD AND UNSEEN PURPOSE. Man is a unity of BODY and SOUL, a living creature fashioned from natures visible and invisible, in the words of the Triodion: both our ascetic fasting should therefore involve both the natures at once. The tendency to overemphasize
EXTERNAL RULES ABOUT FOOD IN A LEGALISTIC WAY, and the opposite tendency to scorn these rules as outdated and unnecessary, are both alike to be deplored as a betrayal of true Orthodoxy. Again,, in both cases the proper balance between the outward and the inward has been impaired.

The primary aim of fasting is to make us CONSCIOUS OF OUR DEPENDENCE UPON GOD. If practiced seriously, the Lenten abstinence from food — particularly in the opening days — involves a considerable measure of real hunger, and also a feeling of tiredness and physical exhaustion. The purpose of this is to lead us in turn to a sense of inward brokenness and contrition; to bring us, that is, to the point where we appreciate the full force of Christ’s statement, “Without Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). If we always take our fill of food and drink, we easily grow overconfident in our abilities, acquiring a false sense of independence and self-sufficiency. Our hunger must be one of hunger for God. “Now when the tempter (Satan) came to Him, he said, ‘If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.’ But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘MAN SHALL NOT LIVE BY BREAD ALONE, BUT BY EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS FROM THE MOUTH OF GOD” [Matthew 4:3-4]. Let us not forget that our Lord Himself “fasted forty days and forty nights” in the wilderness. By rejecting the first temptation, Jesus rejects a kingdom based on materialism, earthly well-being, the “bread which perishes/” He teaches us not to love ease and comfort, to willingly accept the struggle necessary to purify us from evil.

In the words of the Triodion:
“Knowing the commandments of the Lord, let
this be our way of life:
Let us feed the hungry, let us give the thirsty
drink,
Let us clothe the naked, let us welcome
strangers,
Let us visit those in prison and the sick.
Then the Judge of all the earth will say even
to us:
“Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the
Kingdom prepared for you.”

____________
‘Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!”
– Saint John Chrysostomos
+ + +

With sincere agape in His Divine and Glorious Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+ Father George